The Box is a 2009 American science fiction thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly, who also serves as a co-producer. It is based on the 1970 short story "Button, Button" by Richard Matheson, which was previously adapted into an episode of The Twilight Zone. The film stars Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as a couple who receive a box from a mysterious man (played by Frank Langella) who offers them one million dollars if they press the button sealed within the dome on top of the box but tells them that once the button has been pushed, someone they do not know will die. The Box was released on November 6, 2009, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $33.3 million worldwide against a budget of $30 million.